RC10B5M!!!

I was able to pick up a B5M from Tower when it showed up in stock awhile ago.  I wanted to get it from Tower so that I could use their "Easy Pay" program and pay for it over the course of 3 months.  I've also been slowing collecting parts for it during the month of May.  I picked up a Silencer body for my painter to finish, and various lighter and upgrade parts.

I also started reducing the weight of certain plastic parts, since the M is a pig out of the box, along with adding titanium and aluminum parts, to reduce the weight as much as possible.

Cut motor brace = 1g
Drilled front brace = 1g
Cut up center brace = 6g
Shorter ball cups and titanium turnbuckles = 6g
Graphite battery brace = 2g
Aluminum top shaft = 9g (un-modified 5g)
Titanium front axles = 4g
Nova slipper = 3 pad: 10g
Aluminum screws = 10g

Titanium screws = 17g
Aluminum puck cva driveshafts = 4g
Aluminum puck diff outdrives = 14g!
Titanium ball studs = 7g
Carbon idler shafts =
Narrow transmission gear set = (un-modified 7g)
Aluminum wheel nuts = 5g

Aluminum shock nuts = 2g
Machined aluminum chassis = 28g!
Factory Team aluminum motor plate = 6g

Total weight savings = 132g

                                 Stock center brace

                                 Modified center brace

                                     Removed material

                                     Steel wheel nuts

                                  Aluminum wheel nuts

Stock Truck, SDRC, Saturday 6/21/14

Since my brother doesn't have a buggy at the moment, I decided to race stock truck with him. Qualifying sucked as the track was too wet for both rounds and there was no grip. For the main, the track was just damp and not wet, so the grip was back!  Which made for a fun race!  I go too wide into the first turn on the start and drop a position, but was right behind that truck. A wreck in the double double in front of the stand allowed me to move up to 3rd!  I spent most of the race chasing the 2nd place truck. In the closing laps he jumps the center double too wide, while I jump the correct line, landing at the apex of the turn and passing on the inside, taking 2nd!

Expert Stock Buggy, SDRC, 6/20/14

I get up to 2nd about halfway through the race when a pileup occurs in front of me. I drop to 3rd in the last 30 seconds, then 5th when I crash. Oh well. 

Expert Stock Buggy, SDRC, Wednesday 6/18/14

Had a good run in the 2nd round of qualifying with my fastest result on this layout so far with a 14:11 and a 21.6.

Crashed on the 1st lap of the main, and won the battle for 5th a few feet before the line!

MurfDogg Power!

B5M Lightweight Chassis

Least aggressive

To be "Mild"

Most aggressive (and pretty!)

FEA analysis of milled chassis.  Blue is good!

I'm going "Most agressive" since the FEA analysis shows no loss in stiffness with a loss of 30g in weight!  I should have the chassis back in a few days, and the last of the parts I need by mid July.  I can't wait to race it!

Expert Stock Buggy, SDRC, Saturday, 6/14/14

I drove decent in qualify, but only managed a 7th place qualifying position, as all the fast guys were out today. But to my surprise when gridding up for the main, I would be starting 3rd, as 4 people in front of me decided to go home early. Win!

I get a good start and manage to finish 2nd after battling with Joey during the 1st half of the race. 

Saturday Club Racing, SDRC, 6/7/14

I raced stock truck and "expert" stock buggy tonight. The truck needs heavier shock oil and a tad more steering. The buggy is running out of tires. Time to get the B5M built!

This was the highest I've qualified in "expert" stock buggy with most of the fast guys racing. This was also the worst finish I've had after getting bumped into the dust on the 1st lap. To say I was pissed after the race is an understatement. At least there is always next weekend. 

Expert Stock Buggy, SDRC, Friday 6/6/14

Best finish so far in expert with a full'ish field, 4th.

Expert stock buggy, SDRC, Wednesday 6/4/14

Decent night of racing I guess. Turned my fastest fast lap, 21.467, and moved up 1 spot from where I started, in 7th. I was also able to get a clean start from the middle of the grid. I did need to switch to M4 Ions, as grip was down a little tonight. 

Road trip to OCRC, Sunday, 6/1/14

We headed up to race some stock buggy at OCRC. We all ended up in the C Main except for Bryant, who just made the B.  We also agreed that the current layout, from the JBRL round, which was held a few weeks ago, was not a favorite of ours.  A bump at the end of the straight and blind spots in the following jump section made it difficult to turn consistent laps :(. Below are my race results. I ended up finishing 4th in the C, just ahead of my brother in 5th.